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| Rangana Herath | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rangana Herath |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Fullname | Rangana Keerthi Bandara Herath |
| Birth date | 19 March 1978 |
| Birth place | Kurunegala, Sri Lanka |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in |
| Batting | Left-handed |
| Bowling | Left-arm orthodox |
| Role | Bowler |
| Testdebut | 22 September 1999 v Australia |
| Lasttest | 6 November 2018 v England |
| Odidebut | 25 February 2004 v United States |
| Lastodi | 20 March 2011 v England |
| Club1 | Nondescripts Cricket Club |
| Club2 | Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club |
Rangana Herath
Rangana Herath is a former Sri Lankan left-arm orthodox spin bowler and one of the most prolific wicket-takers in Test cricket history. Renowned for longevity and craft, he played for Sri Lanka across two decades, starring in series against Australia, India, England, and Pakistan. Herath combined career highlights in domestic competitions such as the Premier Trophy with landmark international performances, earning widespread recognition from peers and media outlets like ESPNcricinfo and Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.
Born in Kurunegala in North Western Province, Herath grew up during a period when Sri Lankan cricket rose from the 1996 Cricket World Cup triumph to sustained international prominence. He attended local schools in Kurunegala and was influenced by earlier Sri Lankan spinners such as Muttiah Muralitharan and contemporaries like Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. Early mentors included regional coaches associated with clubs like Nondescripts Cricket Club and provincial systems linked to the Sri Lanka Cricket board.
Herath represented several Sri Lankan domestic sides including Nondescripts Cricket Club, Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club, and provincial teams in tournaments affiliated with Premier Limited Overs Tournament and the SLC Twenty20 Tournament. He featured in foreign leagues and club cricket stints that brought him into contact with players from County Championship teams such as Middlesex County Cricket Club and Derbyshire County Cricket Club during practice engagements. His performances in the Premier Trophy and first-class competitions cemented his recall to the national side after earlier international omissions that involved selectors from Sri Lanka Cricket.
Herath made his Test debut against Australia and later established himself as Sri Lanka's lead spinner following the retirement of players like Muttiah Muralitharan. Key series included victories and influential spells against Pakistan in 2014, the drawn and won encounters with England at home and away, and match-winning displays against New Zealand and West Indies. He played in multiple ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC World Twenty20 cycles, though his Test performances remain the most celebrated, with standout tours such as the 2014 series in Pakistan and the 2016 series in India.
A classical left-arm orthodox spinner, Herath relied on loop, drift, and subtle variations of flight rather than express turn alone, drawing stylistic comparison with spinners like Daniel Vettori and Shane Warne in terms of guile. He delivered a stable stock ball with controlled arm action, exploiting pitch conditions at venues like the Galle International Stadium, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Herath developed a potent arm-ball and used changes of pace and trajectory to dismiss top-order batsmen from teams such as Australia, England, and India.
Herath is among the leading wicket-takers in Test history, featuring on lists alongside Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, and James Anderson. He recorded multiple five-wicket and ten-wicket hauls, earned Man of the Series or Man of the Match awards in series against Pakistan, Australia, and England, and set national records for most Test wickets as a left-arm spinner in Sri Lanka history. Accolades included recognition in annual summaries by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack and selections to honour lists by International Cricket Council panels and media outlets such as The Guardian and BBC Sport.
After retiring from international cricket following the 2018 Test series against England, Herath transitioned into coaching and mentoring roles. He took assignments involving spin coaching clinics aligned with Sri Lanka Cricket development programs and worked with franchises and academies with links to organizations like Cricket Australia coaching exchanges and county setups such as Sussex County Cricket Club. Herath has been involved in talent identification and delivery of specialist sessions for emerging spinners in collaboration with former teammates including Lasith Malinga and administrators from Sri Lanka Cricket.
Herath is married and has family ties in Kurunegala and Colombo, often participating in charitable events and community outreach through partnerships with institutions such as Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and provincial sports bodies. He maintains relationships with former captains like Mahela Jayawardene and members of squads from landmark tours, and continues to be cited in retrospectives by commentators from Sky Sports and writers in The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
Category:Sri Lankan cricketers Category:Left-arm orthodox spinners Category:People from Kurunegala